Sylvania



R. P. JACKSON. CURRENT RECTWIER APPLICAJION FILED MAR-13.1914.

1,194,196. Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

W I M 'f EGu/BZPQINYENEOR ATTORNEY @FFTQE.

MY 1 JACKSON, OF EDGEWOOD PARK, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTLmu- HOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENN- I CURRENT-RECTIFIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. a, rare.

- Application filed March 18 1914. Serial No. 825,505.

- citizen of the United States, and a resident of Edgewood Park, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in.

Current-Rectifiers, of which the following is a'specification.

My invention relates to rectifying apparatus of the type wherein arcs furnish part of the current path for either all or a portion of the time, either by accident or by design.

The object of my invention is to provide means for extinguishing arcs of the above described character when their usefulness is ended.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a rectifier of the vibrating armature type wherein contact is actually made and broken during each half cycle; Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of a modified rectifier wherein a portion of the current path is at all times an arc, said are being initiatedby a synchronously controlled high-potential, high-frequency discharge; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a rectifier of the rotating sector type wherein contact with the sectors is not actually made and broken but a short path is provided which is synchronously ionized by a source of high-frequency, high-potential currents; and Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a rectifier of the ordinary mercuryarc type, all of the figures showing embodiments of my invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, a source of alternating currents 1 induces alternating currents in the two secondary windings 2 and 3. One terminal of the secondary winding 2 is connected to a contact member 4 and one terminal of the secondary winding 3 is connected to a contact member-5. Pivoted at point 6 between the contact members 4 and 5 is an armature 7 carrying contact members 8 and 9 that are respectively adapted to engage the members 4 and 5. Connected in series across the secondary winding 2 are two alternating current magnets 10 and 11, so wound as to always present like poles in like directions and so mounted as to be ad-' ja cent to the respective ends of armature 7. Rectified current flows from point 6 through a load such, for example, as storage battery 12, a wire 13, and blow-out coils 14 and 15, to the S condary windings 2 and 3. The en'- cuit is such that a wave passing to secondary winding 2 traverses coil 14 while a wave passing to secondary winding 3 traverses coil 15. Connected in shunt across the battery 12 is a winding 17 that is carried by armature 7 and is adapted to magnetize the same.

The operation of the device above described is as follows: Armature 7 vibrates in synchronism with the frequency of the alternating currents in the winding 1 owing to the interaction between alternating current magnets 10 and 11 and the direct current magnet 7; thus insuring contact between members 4 and 8 and members 5 and 9, respectively, at such times that none but waves of one polarity are allowed-to pass to the armature 7 and from thence to the battery 12. Normally, the phase of the current of magnets 10 and 11 is adjusted by resistance 18 in such manner that the break between members 4 and 8 or between members 9 and 5 comes at a point of zero value of current, which occurs when the potential of the wave is equal and opposite to that'of the battery. Owing, however, to the fact that this ideal condition cannot be maintained at all times because of the rising potential of the battery as the charge is continued and also owing to variations in wave shape and frequency, there is frequently considerable current flowing between the con tact members when they are separated and a consequent more or less severe arcing. The arcs may persist even to the point where the contact members are separated to their wldest extent, thus allowing reverse current to flow from the battery. In order to obviate thls disadvantage, I have arranged the crossconnected blow-out coils 14 and 15 in such a manner, that, if an arc holds over when members 4 and 8 are separated, members 9 and 5 will, at the same time, be rapidly approaching or in contact, with consequent heavy flow of current in the proper direction from secondary winding 3. The current traversing blow-out coil 15 will extinguish the undesirable are between 4 and 8. Conversely, an inopportune are between members 4 and 5 will be extinguished by coil 14 energized from secondary winding 2.

Referring to Fig. 2, my invention is shown applied to a rectifier of the vibrating type wherein the main contact members 19-20 and 21-22 do not actually touch. The vibrating armature carries auxiliary contact members 23 and 24 that are adapted to approach, or to actually make contact with,

members 25 and 26. By reason of the oper-.

' ation of the contact members 23-25 and 2426, a high-potential high-"frequency alternating current from a source 27 is caused to discharge between corresponding members 19-20 or 21-22 and thus ionize the gaps therebetween to a flow of rectified current therebetween at the proper time. It

- is thus seen that, with this type of rectifier,

. cross connected blow-out coils 28 and 29.

it is inherently necessary that there be a small are between members 19 and 20 or be tween-members 21 and 22 which is extinguished at the proper time by means of the Fig. 3 is a rectifier of the rotating sector type, wherein sectors 30 and 31 are adapted their respective sectors, a source of highfrequency high-potential currents 38 is providedand this is applied to the gaps 3230 and 33-31 by means of synchronously driven sectors 39-39 and 40-40, respectively. It will be observed that, in this device, there is an inherent arc with each current wave and I extlngulsh these arcs at the opportune moment by means of cross-connected blow-out coils 41 and 42.

Referring to Fig. 4, the mercury are container 43 is-provided with anodes 44 and 45 and with a common cathode 46. Current is "supplied to the anodes from the secondary windings 47 and 48 of a transformer having a primary Winding 49. Positive waves flow from anodes 44 and 45 to cathode 46, as is well known in the art, owing to the fact that the negative electrode reluctance of member 46 is kept broken down by any suitable means, such, for example, as an inductive winding 50. It may occasionally happen that the negative electrode reluctance of one of the anodes will be broken down, as, for example, by a drop of mercury falling thereupon, and, under these conditions, current will tend to flow from the cathode to the anode. I prevent this harmful action by means of the cross-connected blow-out magnets 51 and .52 that are so placed as to extinguish the respective harmful arcs, enlargements 52 and 53 being provided in the container in order that the upwardly flaring arc shall not damage the same. It will be observed that during normal operation,

when current is flowing for example, from anode 44 to cathode 46, there will be no magnetism in coil 51, owing to the fact that' anode 45 and transformer secondary winding 48 are at this time inactive. Accordingly, during normal operation, neither of my blow-out magnets is intended to become energized and, consequently, they will exert no harmful influence upon the normal arcs.

While I have thus described my invention as applied to rectifiers of several types, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit its application to these types alone but intend it to be applied in all cases Where there are two intermittent periodic arcs each of which is active when the other is inactive, and in which it would be. desirable to extinguish either are which had a tendency to persist, by a magnetic effect obtained from the circuit of the other and properly oper-.

ating arc.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with a vapor converter provided with a cathode and with a plural-,

ity of anodes, of a blowout magnet mounted adjacent to each anode and connected to be energized from the supply lead to another anode, said converter. being provided. with an arc blowout chamber adjacent to each anode.

2. The combination with a vapor converter embodying a cathode, a plurality of alternately active anodes and a condensing chamber, of a blowout magnet mounted adjacent to each anode and arranged to force an arc from the associated anode toward said condensing chamber, and connections for inserting the energizing winding of each magnet in series relation with the supply lead of another anode.

3. The combination with a transformer having a split secondary winding, of means for energizing the primary winding thereof, a vapor converter provided with two anodes and with a cathode, a connection from a terminal of one of said half windings to one of said anodes, a connection from a terminal of the other half winding to the other anode, connections from the remaining terminals of said half-windings to said cathode, and two blowout magnets, one of which is connected in each of said last-named connections, the magnet associated with each half winding being mounted to extinguish an are from the anode connected to be energized from the other half winding.

In testimony whereof, 'I have hereunto subscribed my name this 28th day of Feb. 1914.

Gonmr. E. MoGEE', B. B. Hmns. 

